Fancy Things on Toast

I love toast, if someone asked what my favourite thing to eat would be, it would be almost anything on toast…except beans, sorry bean lovers.

Now I am one of those annoying people who loves sourdough, my friend said the other day she wouldn’t eat half the things I share on my IG stories, and that it was all rather sophisticated. I have never been called sophisticated in my life, so, me and my sourdough are taking it.

I love the crunch sourdough gives, and how you have to really chew it, my husband is a white slice kinda guy and if you were offering me a fried egg or a bacon sandwich I’d want nothing else. But more often than not my lunch is a slice of toasted sourdough with something piled on top, or if it’s the day before shopping butter and salt will do just nicely.

I thought I’d share some fancier on toast options in case you’ve got any garden plans with friends and you don’t know what to serve. I love things that look like you put more effort in than you actually did, and I find a burst of colour from food like quick pickles, egg yolks, or figs make things look just as good as they taste.

Double Cheese & Roasted Tomatoes 

I remember sharing this on my stories, and my sister in law messaging me to say although she thought the combo was odd, once she tried it thought it was an absolute winner. What does cheese always need? More cheese. 

This is very simple ‘recipe’ pop some cherry tomatoes in the oven to roast on 180 degrees (in a fan oven) with balsamic vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Meanwhile, toast your sourdough, leave it to cool slightly before adding a healthy spread of cream cheese, then a heavy sprinkle of feta. Cream cheese and feta is a match made in heaven for some reason, when I’m alone I like to add gherkins, but they can be a real crowd divider, tomatoes seem much more universally popular. 

After ten or so minutes, your tomatoes should be nicely roasted, add those on top of your feta with some basil and even more balsamic if you wish, or chilli flakes and you’re all done. 

Parma Ham, Figs & Hazelnuts 

Now, this is rather fancy for every day, but when my greengrocer is selling figs I am buying them. If I get to them before my daughter sees them, then this is such a lovely lunch. Nothing needs cooking, just assembling, asides from your toast of course. When it’s toasted to your liking, again leave it to cool before adding Boursin, the garlic cheese really adds another layer, but if you want to use cream cheese again that would work. 

Parma ham is one of my favourite treats, I’m not into calling food a treat, but when you buy the good stuff it’s a treat in my book due to its price tag. Put on as much Parma ham as you wish, then slice your figs in half, or quarters, add on top. Finish with honey and some crushed up hazelnuts, and serve.  

Salmon & Egg 

Salmon and eggs on sourdough is hardly revolutionary, whilst I love a poached egg or scrambled, this way means you don’t have to worry about timings and you can just assemble it when you’re ready. Starting off by toasting your bread, and adding butter, then add some smoked salmon, if you’re local to Lincoln there’s some really nice smoked salmon in the butchers in the Bailgate, fresh from Grimsby. Growing up on good seafood (a perk of living in a fishing town) this smoked salmon is really good, and it’s about a pound more expensive than what you’d pay in the supermarket but about ten pounds nicer in taste. Before this turns into a love letter to smoked salmon, add a good dollop of creme fraiche, and a boiled egg cut in two. This is a really good guide for how long you should boil your eggs, depending on how you like them. Add some salt, quick pickled onions, and dill, and enjoy! 

What are some of your more elevated toast toppings? Let me know in the comments below.